


Depa's Fall

by Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky



Series: Light in the Dark [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Genre: Alternate Universe, canon events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-07-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 04:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4465802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky/pseuds/Dreaming_of_a_Bright_Sky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mace Windu comes to some harsh realizations, and gains insights into Anakin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Depa's Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This story is sort of a bridge. It's super short and can *almost* stand alone, but it's part of the ongoing story line.

   Mace stared into the serene face of Master Depa Billaba. Regret burrowed its way into his mind and he tried to release those feelings into the Force, but peace wouldn't come. His former padawan lay in a coma, and he knew that some of the responsibility lay at his feet.

...

 

“Mace, you need to call her back from this mission.”

 

The Jedi Master crossed his arms. “I personally asked Depa to go to Haruun Kal, Obi-Wan. She's well suited to this task. Your insinuation that she might go dark is unfounded.”

 

Obi-Wan went to stroke a beard that was no longer there. It was a long ingrained habit when he was thinking or stressed. It still surprised him when he felt, instead, the faintest hint of stubble. “In the vision, she went to Haruun Kal and she fell. She succumbed to Vastor's madness.”

 

“Depa is the very best I've ever trained. She will not fall.”

 

“Even the best of us can break, Mace.”

 

Master Windu unfolded his arms and stepped into Obi-Wan's space. “Like Skywalker?”

 

Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, his blue eyes sad. “Yes. Like Anakin.” He turned to the window. “He's worked hard to prevent the future we saw. We're trying to save lives, Mace. We want to save Master Billaba. As you say, she's one of the best of us.”

 

“Then trust her.” The large Jedi's body language relaxed some, and he turned to stand next to Obi-Wan at the window. “I sense nothing. I see no shatterpoints. I trust in the Force and I believe in Depa.”

 

“So you won't change your mind?”

 

“No.”

 

Obi-Wan took in a deep breath and let it out in a gust. He nodded at Mace and crossed the room. At the doorway he turned back. “I hope you're right.”

 

 

…

 

Unease grew within him when she went silent. Contact had ceased but he hadn't worried at first. She was infiltrating an army in the midst of a war. The silence grew longer and and when it was broken, he knew he'd been wrong. So very wrong. She'd tried to send a message to Count Dooku, who had eluded capture. They'd intercepted the recordings and the council was stunned. The wise and gentle Billaba was crazed. Her mind was shattered.

 

The rest played out just like Obi-Wan had said it would. In his wildest imaginings, Mace could never have believed the atrocities his former padawan had committed. It wasn't so much that he didn't want to believe Obi-Wan. He couldn't.

 

And for that he'd allowed Depa to go regardless of the warnings. For that he'd sent her off to face her descent into darkness. All for his arrogance. His pride.

 

He looked upon her calm face as she lay in the garden. She now knew a peace that would forever elude him. If she ever woke, she'd be facing a trial. He doubted that would happen.

 

He'd asked Obi-Wan about her fate. She'd never woken in that previous time line. It was assumed she'd been killed when Order 66 had been executed. Until then she'd never shown any sign of awareness or waking. Personally, he thought it was better that way. If she regained consciousness and any sense of her former self, she'd have been horrified at her actions. It gave him some insight into Anakin Skywalker. Mace had no doubt that if this had been a vision and Depa had been returned to herself before her fall, she'd have done everything possible to prevent it.

 

With a last look, Mace stalked back into the building. He headed towards the practice salle. He had some things to work through. He would meditate later. He knew the Jedi way was meditation and peace instead of violence and aggression. He'd always skirted the line. Vapaad was perilously close to the dark. He knew, as well, that once upon a time he'd have never been made a Jedi. He was too aggressive. He was capable of great anger. Those were the same things he saw in Skywalker.

 

He'd been wrong when he'd been so sure he was right. It made him wonder what else he was wrong about, and the whole situation made him burn with an unfocused anger. He wasn't so sure he could find balance in the Force just yet. Instead, he'd settle for working off some of his energy.

 

 

 


End file.
